Final Theory

About

Final Theory is a single player and multiplayer strategy game. It was developed by Monticube and was released on September 21, 2018. It received positive reviews from players.

Final Theory is a turn-based strategy game where you command fleets of battleships engaged in a galactic civil war. It presents an exciting experience for both veteran players and those new to the genre. It features innovative combat mechanics but also hearkens back to some of the classics of gaming.

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81%

Audience ScoreBased on 291 reviews

gameplay29 positive mentions

story4 negative mentions

Engaging tactical combat that requires strategic planning and positioning.
Beautiful graphics and sound design enhance the overall experience.
Simple mechanics make it easy to learn, while still offering depth for experienced players.

Limited replayability due to lack of diverse factions and a shallow strategic layer.
One fleet move per turn can slow down gameplay and make it tedious.
AI can be predictable and lacks advanced tactics, making some battles less challenging.

gameplay
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
66%
3%
The gameplay of "Final Theory" is characterized by a unique one-fleet-per-turn mechanic that some players find engaging while others see it as a hindrance that slows down progression and limits strategic options. Combat mechanics are generally well-received, offering a blend of tactical depth and straightforward execution, though the overall gameplay can feel repetitive after a while. While the game features solid visuals and a streamlined interface, it lacks customization options and can frustrate players with its AI behavior and certain mechanics that detract from the overall experience.
- “Very well done, good graphics, good gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is interesting & reasonably distinct, the interface is sleek, the graphics & sound are lovely and so far it seems to run quite smoothly.”
- “The mechanics are quite easy to pick up once you play for a bit, just as one would quickly learn how to move their pieces in board games like Go or chess, but are also complex enough for making the battles interesting.”
- “The game is bogged down by a 'can only move one fleet a turn' mechanic. From what I can tell, this was implemented to create the illusion that each decision is important (it's not) and to slow down how quickly you can advance across and conquer the galaxy so that you do not realize how small it actually is. It is also used to give the main enemy a greater sense of threat as they can perform two fleet movements a turn.”
- “This game has a shortage of interesting decisions: once you have basic system mastery, there's a whole lot of mechanical automation along an optimal path and a few low-agency random choices.”
- “It's intended to make the game more 'chess-like', but other mechanics do this better, and so this only serves to slow players' access to and enjoyment of the really great facets of this game.”
graphics
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
26%
4%
The graphics in the game are generally well-received, with many reviewers praising the stunning visuals, detailed ship designs, and satisfying animations, particularly during combat. While some noted that the graphics are not groundbreaking and can be simplistic in certain views, they still contribute positively to the overall experience. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a strong point, enhancing the gameplay without overshadowing it.
- “The visuals are stunning (as space games are meant to be), and the combat allows for diverse naval tactics.”
- “The graphics are very nice, the ships look good, and the galaxy in which you play, while simplistic in form, looks pretty decent too.”
- “Despite its minimalist approach to 4X, everything is done beautifully, with masterful sound design on weapons that have a weighty feel to them and very detailed ship models.”
- “Graphics could have been better in the map view.”
- “Sometimes it is difficult to see the fleet ships vs the background graphics in the battle phase, although it is easy to rotate and/or zoom the screen to get around this when it happens.”
- “The graphics and sound are passable, but nothing special.”
replayability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
66%
13%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the tactical depth and potential for varied strategies, many express concerns about its limited content and repetitive gameplay. Several reviews highlight that additional DLCs can enhance replay value, but the core experience may feel constrained due to a lack of diverse game modes and map variety. Ultimately, while some players find enjoyment in experimenting with different tactics, others feel that the game offers minimal incentive for multiple playthroughs.
- “I hope it will get some more content, both navies and maybe some more variety on the map/world generation for improved replayability.”
- “The battle system allows for different strategies to increase replayability.”
- “There are probably other ways to set up your fleets as well, so there is some replayability if you have fun experimenting with different tactics.”
- “I would not buy this game as the replay value is extremely low and even the first playthrough is ruined by that choke point experience.”
- “Replayability is therefore rather limited but I had a lot of fun with the ��10 hours campaign.”
- “When it comes to replayability, it is devastating.”
story
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
70%
17%
The game's story is largely criticized for its minimal presence, with many players noting the absence of a compelling narrative or meaningful backstory. While some appreciate the simplicity and find the lack of a traditional story acceptable, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, leading to boredom over time. Despite this, a few players found the ending unexpectedly satisfying, suggesting that the gameplay mechanics can stand on their own without a strong narrative.
- “Kudos to the developers, it's such a 'small' thing but storytelling done like this is something I didn't see in big productions like Stellaris or Galactic Civilizations.”
- “Though the science seemed a bit ho-hum, the story was extremely well done in an understated way, which synergized perfectly with the beautiful epic music.”
- “Normally I like a story and background lore, but this is one game where its relative absence is perfectly fine.”
- “There's not really any story or narrative aside from a bit of text that I saw at the start of the campaign.”
- “The lack of a story-driven campaign isn't a big deal; how much of a story do you need to just go blow up starships?!”
- “The simplicity of the game is also its weakness because it has no storyline that matters to the gamer.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
25%
19%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtrack as a standout feature. While some describe it as minimalist, others appreciate its epic and dramatic qualities that complement the gameplay and lore effectively. Overall, the sound design, including music and audio effects, is considered a significant strength of the game.
- “The devs should be complimented on making such a professional game as the graphics, music, user interface, and gameplay have clearly been a labor of love.”
- “Graphics (in ship fights), sound, and music are definitely highlights of this game.”
- “Despite its minimalist approach to 4X, everything is done beautifully, with masterful sound design on weapons that have a weighty feel to them and a superb soundtrack.”
- “Another issue impacting the replayability is the soundtrack/art.”
- “Music is a bit dramatic but it helps with the atmosphere.”
- “Its a nice fun game, with two gameplay layers that work well, and no distractions from the lore, animation, art or music.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly due to slow movement on the map and the lengthy process of building up resources and fleets. While some appreciate the strategic depth, many feel that the game drags on, making it less enjoyable over multiple playthroughs. However, options for automatic resolution are available to alleviate some of the tedium.
- “Planet populations, economies, diplomacy, building stuff, that all just drags them down and makes them tedious to play to me.”
- “The game does get a bit grindy and repetitive as you build up the doomsday-end-the-game-counter, but that's fine, as it's not a game that benefits from more than 2 or 3 playthroughs of ��5h each anyway, so there isn't time to get bored.”
- “On the galaxy map as well as in combat it makes everything extremely slow and tedious.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
Overall, the game is praised for its exceptional stability, with users reporting no bugs or glitches and a smooth gameplay experience. Many reviewers highlight that it performs reliably without crashes, making it a standout in terms of stability.
- “No bugs, no glitches, does exactly what it says on the tin.”
- “At least for me, it's been bug-free.”
- “The game has been completely bug-free for me, which is a plus and something I quite often don't see.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a high-stakes environment that encourages strategic decision-making, despite its unrealistic elements. The graphics are well-executed and adaptable for various system capabilities, while the dramatic music enhances the overall immersive experience.
- “This creates a high-stakes game atmosphere where you are trying to maximize the value of your singular move and deploy fleets in locations where they will be useful immediately upon spawning.”
- “The music is a bit dramatic, but it enhances the overall atmosphere.”
- “This is terribly unrealistic, but it creates a high-stakes game atmosphere where you are trying to maximize the value of your singular move and deploy fleets in locations where they will be useful immediately upon spawning.”
- “Graphics are good and can be toned down for less powerful systems without too much loss in atmosphere.”
- “Music is a bit dramatic, but it helps with the atmosphere.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews suggest that while the game's optimization is adequate, the repetitive flat battle environments may lead to a lack of challenge, as perfectly optimized AI could make gameplay feel monotonous and unengaging.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players feel a lack of emotional engagement in the game, as the ships are perceived as mere pawns without personal significance, and the uniformity of enemy ship types further diminishes any potential for attachment.